SFB1551 & SPP2191 Joint Workshop on "Self-Leadership for Scientists – Look Within to Succeed.”
2026-10-11 - 2026-10-14 | Hotel Beau-Site, Valais, Switzerland, Chemin du Mont 13, 1927 Chemin-Dessus,, Switzerland
SFB1551 & SPP2191 Joint Workshop “Self-Leadership for Scientists – Look Within to Succeed.”
Following the very positive response to the first edition, we are pleased to invite you to participate on the workshop, “Self-Leadership for Scientists – Look Within to Succeed.”
This workshop, originally organised by the SPP2191 network, will be run by Melissa Davies and will explore key aspects of self-leadership, including self-awareness, self-confidence, and self-efficacy.
It also offers a supportive space for participants to exchange ideas, share experiences, and discuss strategies for navigating challenging situations in the world of scientific research.
Workshop details

Dates: October 12–14, 2026 (arrival: Sunday, October 11, by 6:00 p.m., departure: Wednesday, October 14 after lunch)
Location: Hotel Beau-Site, Valais, Switzerland
Participants: Primarily aimed at women in early career stages PhD/Postdocs of the SPP2191 and SFB1551 networks
Capacity: Limited to 14 participants (a few spots are still available)
Costs: Registration and training as well hotel fees are covered by SFB1551 central funds. Travel expenses are not included and must be covered by you.

If you are interested in joining for the full time, please contact the SFB1551 office, so we can reserve a spot for you. Registrations will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis, prioritising funded members of Phase II.
We look forward to welcoming you to this event!
Your SFB1551 & SPP2191 Teams

SFB1551 Dress Rehearsal - Network internal event
2026-08-31 10:00 - 18:00 UTC | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz
This is a closed event for SFB1551 members only

SFB1551 Poster Dress Rehearsal - Network internal event
2026-08-25 10:00 - 18:00 UTC | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz

SFB1551 4th Rehearsal - Network internal event
2026-08-20 10:00 - 18:00 UTC | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz

SFB1551 3rd Rehearsal - Network internal event
2026-08-13 10:00 - 18:00 UTC | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz

SFB1551 2nd Rehearsal - Network internal event
2026-06-18 10:00 - 18:00 UTC | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz

Hands-on Session - Develop Your Data Management Plan
2026-05-08 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-07 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-06 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-05 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-04 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Amsterdam) | Biocenter I, EG 00.301, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz
by Dr. Andrej Berg, Data Steward, JGU
This is an in-person session.
This session is a dedicated working block for SFB1551 members to make tangible progress on their research data management. The primary focus is on data management plans (DMPs): participants will have time and support to draft, develop, or refine their DMP in a structured setting.
Beyond DMPs, the session is open for any RDM work you have been meaning to get to — setting up or reorganising your electronic lab notebook, migrating to eLabFTW, cleaning up your data structures, or tackling other RDM tasks relevant to your project.
Bring your laptop and come with a concrete topic in mind. Andrej will be present throughout the session to provide guidance and answer questions.

Expert Talk - Track Everything: Version Control for Code, Data, and Writing
2026-05-08 09:00 - 09:45 (Europe/Amsterdam) | BZ2 Room 03.721 (3rd floor), Hans-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, Mainz, Germany
by Dr. Andrej Berg, Data Steward, JGU
This is a hybrid event.
This session introduces version control as a core practice for managing code, data, and writing in a structured and reproducible way. It covers the fundamental concepts of Git, including tracking changes, branching, and collaborative workflows.
The focus is on practical approaches that integrate version control into everyday research, supporting transparency, traceability, and efficient collaboration across projects.
The talk provides a clear entry point into version control workflows and supports participants in applying these concepts directly in their own work.

Expert Talk - Your Digital Lab Notebook for Simulations: Research Data Management with NOMAD Oasis
2026-05-07 09:00 - 09:45 (Europe/Amsterdam) | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz
by Dr. Hampus Näsström, Technical Coordinator, HU Berlin
This is a hybrid event.
This session introduces NOMAD Oasis as a platform for managing and documenting computational data in a structured and reproducible way. It covers the core functionalities from a user perspective, including data organization, metadata handling, and integration into calculation workflows.
The focus is on practical approaches to documenting dry-lab research, enabling traceability, reproducibility, and efficient collaboration across projects.
The talk provides a practical entry point into using digital tools for calculation-focused research data management and supports participants in structuring their own workflows accordingly.

Expert Talk - Your Lab Notebook Reinvented: Research Documentation with eLabFTW
2026-05-06 09:00 - 09:45 (Europe/Amsterdam) | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz
by Dr. Lukas Hellmann, Systemadmin eLabFTW, JGU
This is a hybrid event.
This session introduces eLabFTW as an electronic lab notebook for structured and efficient research documentation. It covers the core functionalities from a user perspective, including experiment documentation, data organization, and collaboration features.
The talk provides a clear entry point into digital lab notebook usage. The focus is on practical workflows that support consistent and transparent documentation in everyday lab work, with minimal additional overhead.

Expert Talk - From Microscope to Repository: Managing Image Data with OMERO
2026-05-05 09:00 - 09:45 (Europe/Amsterdam)
by Dr. Maximilian Müller, University of Konstanz, KIM, Team Open Science
This is a virtual event. The access link will be sent after registration.
This session focuses on OMERO as a platform for managing, visualizing, and sharing microscopy data. It includes a user-oriented introduction to its core functionalities, covering typical workflows from data import to organization and access. The basics are addressed explicitly, making the session accessible to participants without prior experience.
In addition, the session provides a brief overview of NFDI4BIOIMAGE and highlights available services and resources for the research community.
The talk offers a practical entry point into OMERO-based workflows and provides guidance for integrating structured image data management into everyday research practice.

Online Lecture "Mindfulness-based self-care"
2026-05-04 13:00 - 15:00 UTC
This event is jointly organized by IMB’s Professional Development Office, SFB1361 and SFB1551 with additional support from the “Techniker Krankenkasse” (TK).

Online Lecture “Mindfulness-based self-care”
When: 4 May 2026 (13:00h-15:00h)
Where: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81982111041 (Meeting ID: 819 8211 1041; please check your email for the passcode)
Content: This interactive online lecture teaches evidence-based strategies for mindfulness-based self-care as an effective measure for preventing mental stress. The lecture aims to promote mental performance and to maintain energy levels, strengthen stress competency and emotional self-regulation, to prevent exhaustion, anxiety and depression symptoms and to integrate healthy micro habits into everyday working life.

This event is open to anyone interested. In order to estimate participant numbers, kindly register here until 17 April 2026.
A short voluntary survey will be shared prior to the lecture to adapt the content to the interest of the participants.
Looking forward to seeing many of you in May.

Expert Talk - Don't Lose Your Data: Backup Strategies and Encryption for the Research Lab
2026-05-04 09:00 - 09:45 (Europe/Amsterdam) | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz
by Dr. Andrej Berg, Data Steward, JGU
This is a hybrid event.
This session introduces practical strategies for safeguarding research data in everyday workflows. It covers structured backup approaches and the fundamentals of encryption to ensure data integrity and security. The focus is on solutions that can be implemented with minimal overhead in both experimental and computational settings.
The talk provides a clear foundation for developing robust data protection practices and prepares participants to apply these concepts directly in their everyday work.

Girls Day at the JGU
2026-04-23
Girls’ Day will take place on April 23, 2026!
Girls’ Day is a nationwide career exploration event where girls in 5th grade and above can get a taste of STEM subjects, degree programs, and careers. The Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and many research institutions located on campus will open their doors on this day.
Sections of this programme are integrated with the national initiative with local coordination from the Ada Lovelace Projekt at the JGU. This particular selection has been organised by several members of the JGU, UMC, IMB & Carl Zeiss Center for Synthetic Genomics scientific & teaching staff and sponsored by the Carl Zeiss Center for Synthetic Genomics and the SFB1551.
A diverse program has been organised:
(also available in PDF in this Link)
8:30 – 9:30 Aliens – von der eigenen zur außerirdischen DNA (ab 13 Jahre)
📍 Nat. u. Med. Gebäude, HS 18a (2. OG)
Ricky Fröhlich
8:30 – 9:30 Einführung in die Welt der Molekularbiologie und der Evolution (10 – 12 Jahre)
📍 Institut für Molekularbiologie
Prof. Dr. Susanne Gerber und Prof. Dr. Peter Baumann
9:45 – 11:15 DNA-Extraktion aus Mundschleimhautzellen
📍 Alte Mensa D.- Gresemundweg,
Prof. Dr. Thomas Hankeln
9:45 – 11:15 Zelle: Eine Reise in die nukleäre & cytoplasmatische Welt
📍Biomed. Forschungszentrum,
Dr. Tamer Butto
9:45 – 11:15 Gehirn – wie kommunizieren Nervenzellen & beeinflussen unser Verhalten?
📍Pharmazie
Prof. Dr. Kristina Friedland
9:45 – 11:15 Der Blick in die Zelle mit Fluoreszenz-mikroskopie
📍 Institut für Molekulare Biologie
Dr. Jan Padeken
9:45 – 11:15 Faszination Chemie
📍 Biozentrum 2, 3. OG, R.03.603
Dr. Christian Schäfer
11:30 – 12:15 Mitagspause & 3x 15 minütige Führung durch die Nucleinsäure Core Facility mit Dr. Christiane Krämer
📍 Biozentrum 1, 3. OG, R.03
12:30 – 13:00 3D Kino in der Pharmazie mit Prof. Dr. Mark Helm
📍 Pharmazie
13:15 – 14:45 Wie interagieren Proteine? (Simulation)
📍 Nat. u. Med. Gebäude, EG, R. 00.125
Prof. Dr. Lukas Stelzl
13:15 – 14:45 Zelle: Eine Reise in die nukleäre & cytoplasmatische Welt
📍Biomed. Forschungszentrum,
Dr. Tamer Butto
13:15 – 14:45 Magische Bubble-Tea-Kugeln: Wie entstehen essbare Gele mit Biss?
📍 Chemie, C03
Besenius, Dhima & Walther
13:15 – 14:45 Kondensation von Proteinen & wie das zu Krankheiten führt
📍 Biozentrum 2, 3. OG, R.03.603
Prof. Dr. Dorothee Dormann
13:15 – 14:45 Faszination Chemie
📍 Biozentrum 2, 3. OG, R.03.603
Dr. Christian Schäfer

We are grateful to all researchers involved and we are looking forward to the event!

Joint SFB1361 & SFB 1551 Seminar - Prof. Robert Grosse
2026-04-16 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IMB Seminar Room, Ackermannweg 4, Mainz, 55128, Germany
“Actin up on nuclear steroid hormone receptors”
Prof. Robert Grosse (University of Freiburg, Germany)
We are happy to announce the joint SFB 1361 & SFB 1551 Seminar on Thursday, 16 April 2026 at 12:00 h.
The seminar will take place onsite in IMB’s Seminar room and will be followed by Pizza & Networking on the balcony.
In his talk, Prof. Grosse will present current and ongoing research from his lab on how nuclear actin assembly regulates steroid hormone receptor function and transcription. He will talk about how different actin regulators control distinct steroid receptors for nuclear organisation and discuss the impact for diseases.
You will find a list of his recent publications here.

SFB1551 1st Rehearsal - Network internal event
2026-04-13 12:00 - 18:00 UTC | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz
This is closed event for SFB1551 Group Leaders only

SFB1551 International Symposium
2026-03-04 - 2026-03-06 | Gonsberg Lounge, Im Niedergarten 16, Mainz, 55124, Germany
SFB1551 International Symposium
March 4–6, 2026 | Mainz, Germany
For more information about the scientific program, invited speakers, and abstract submission guidelines, please visit the Symposium page.

SFB1551 Winter School 2026
2026-01-28 - 2026-01-30 | Basecamp Bonn, In d. Raste 1, Bonn, 53129, Germany
Content is protected.

SFB 1551 Seminar Series Event - Dr. Davide Mercadante
2026-01-22 10:30 - 11:30 UTC | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz
“Functional advantages of protein structural disorder as revealed by integrative biophysics”
Dr. Davide Mercadante (School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand)
Summary:
Since the discovery that protein structural disorder holds functional relevance intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) have become a cornerstone of biophysics.
Characterized by extremely high dynamics, IDPs are elusive by nature and traditional structural biology techniques remain largely uncapable of providing an exhaustive understanding of their behavior.
However, the qualitative and quantitative integration of computational experimental techniques well-versed to assess protein dynamics, thus provides a powerful framework to elucidate IDPs’ dynamics-driven functions. This talk will overview how the integration of biophysical approaches within the experimental and computational realms has favored the discovery of new functional paradigms empowered by protein disorder. 1–5 I will showcase how simulations employing all-atom or coarse-grained modelling of protein chains, can help linking the conformational behavior of IDPs to their ensemble-based function: and how it can be possible to obtain experimentally sound protein ensembles from coarse grained protein models, through a direct integration of NMR observables into simulations. 6,7
References
1. Milles, S. et al. Plasticity of an Ultrafast Interaction between Nucleoporins and Nuclear Transport Receptors. Cell 163, 734–745 (2015).
2. Swain, B. C. et al. Disordered regions of human eIF4B orchestrate a dynamic self-association landscape. Nat Commun 15, 8766 (2024).
3. Heidarsson, P. O. et al. Release of linker histone from the nucleosome driven by polyelectrolyte competition with a disordered protein. Nat Chem 14, 224–231 (2022).
4. Bjarnason, S. et al. DNA binding redistributes activation domain ensemble and accessibility in pioneer factor Sox2. Nat Commun 15, (2024).
5. Buholzer, K. J. et al. Multilayered allosteric modulation of coupled folding and binding by phosphorylation, peptidyl-prolyl cis / trans isomerization, and diversity of interaction partners. Journal of Chemical Physics 157, (2022).
6. Cullen, M. et al. Integrating NMR restraints into coarse-grained simulations: toward accurate conformational ensembles of complex protein systems. bioRxiv 2025.12.22.695971 (2025) doi:10.64898/2025.12.22.695971.
7. Cullen, M. et al. Capturing secondary structure in coarse grained intrinsically disordered proteins with simulations driven by chemical shifts. bioRxiv 2026.01.06.697719 (2026) doi:10.64898/2026.01.06.697719.

Joint Christmas Coloquium - Prof. Michael te Vrugt
2025-12-11 16:00 - 17:00 UTC | IMB Seminar Room, Ackermannweg 4, Mainz, 55128, Germany
Dear all,
We are excited to announce this year’s Joint Christmas Colloquium by the SFB 1551, SFB 1552, GenEvo, 4R, and SFB 1361.
The event will take place on Thursday, 11 December starting from 16:00 at IMB’s Seminar Room followed by refreshments and networking.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, our originally invited speaker, Prof. Gerald Haug, is unable to attend and give his intended lecture. However, we have found another great speaker, Prof. Michael te Vrugt from the Institute of Physics at JGU, who will share on “The Physics of a Zombie Apocalypse”
Mark your calendars for the event and come join us for the talk and merriment afterwards!
Date: 11 December 2025
Time: 16:00 – 17:00, followed by get-together with refreshments
Venue: IMB Seminar Room, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz

SFB1551 IRTG Meeting - Pre-session for the Winter School
2025-12-08 11:00 - 15:00 UTC
More information soon! Stay tunned!

SFB 1551 Seminar Series Event - Dr. Sergio Cruz-Leon
2025-12-05 09:00 - 10:00 UTC | BZ2 Room 02.721 (2nd floor), Hans-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, Mainz, Germany
“Bridging cellular 3D imaging with physics-based simulations for biological discovery”
Dr. Sergio Cruz-Leon (MPI Biophysics, Frankfurt)
Summary:
Cellular function is governed by the structure, location, and dynamics of its densely packed molecular machines. Cryo-electron tomography (cryoET) captures 3D snapshots of intact cells at near molecular resolution. However, extracting reliable molecular identities and interactions from tomographic data remains challenging.
I will show how high-confidence 3D template matching (hcTM) for cryoET [1], coupled with multiscaling, enables us to model and simulate biological landscapes directly from cryoET data [1-3]. hcTM reliably localizes a wide range of macromolecular complexes in crowded cytoplasm and nuclei, producing spatial maps that are the basis to build simulation-ready models of subcellular environments.
Using this framework, we uncovered vault particles loaded with ribosomal cargo [1] and the unexpected ‘cracking’ of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) during HIV passage [2], and resolved the molecular architecture of human chromatin in situ [3]. We then applied it to an autophagy-related condensate directly in cells, demonstrating that a single amino-acid substitution strengthens intermolecular interactions, drives a liquid-to-glass mesoscale transition, and abolishes autophagic clearance. We thereby link a molecular alteration to changes in condensate material properties and biological function.
Integrating in situ imaging with multiscale simulation provides a pipeline for visual proteomics and sets the stage for simulating cellular processes in their native context.

Keywords: Visual proteomics, cryoET, high-confidence template matching, multi-scale simulations, HIV, chromatin, biomolecular condensates.

[1] Cruz-León, et al., Nat. Comm., 2024
[2] Kreysing*, Heidari*, Zila*, et al., Cell, 2025
[3] Kreysing*, Cruz-León*, Betz*, et al., BioRxiv, 2025

SFB 1551 Seminar Series Event - Prof. Dr. Pol Besenius
2025-12-04 10:30 - 11:30 UTC | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz
Methods talk by Prof. Dr. Pol Besenius, Chemistry Department, Johannes Gutenberg University
Weak Non-Covalent Interactions in Biopolymer and Synthetic Supramolecular Assemblies
This lecture introduces the basic principles that define modern supramolecular chemistry through a historical and conceptual overview of non-covalent interactions. We will examine the nomenclature and evolution of key interaction types, including hydrogen bonding, Coulomb interactions, π–π stacking and related interactions in aromatic systems. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how enthalpic and entropic contributions govern the formation, strength, and selectivity of supramolecular assemblies. Finally, we will explore the crucial role of the solvent environment—highlighting solvation and solvophobic effects in (macro)molecular recognition and self-assembly. These elements provide a framework for analyzing and designing non-covalent systems across chemistry, biology, and materials science.

SFB 1551 Seminar Series Event - Prof. Dr. Andreas Walther
2025-11-20 14:30 - 15:30 UTC | Biocenter I, EG 00.187, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, Mainz
Methods talk by Prof. Dr. Andreas Walther, Chemistry Department, Johannes Gutenberg University
Title: “DNA Nanoscience Tools
Summary:
DNA is not just genetic information but allows for precision design of programmable matter. This lecture will give an overview of selected DNA Nanoscience principles to build complex structures, switches, reaction networks, and, if time, some robots and machines.
Date: 20.11.2025
Time: 14:30 – 15:30
Location: BZ1 room HS 00.187

Joint SFB 1361, SFB 1551 & CHA seminar - Prof. Dr. Satpal Virdee
2025-11-13 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | IMB Seminar Room, Ackermannweg 4, Mainz, 55128, Germany
Joint SFB 1361, SFB 1551 & CHA seminar – Prof. Dr. Satpal Virdee, University of Dundee, UK
“Activity-based probes: Unlocking hidden layers of the ubiquitin system”
The Virdee lab studies how ubiquitylation is carried out by unconventional E3 ligating enzymes (E3s), and how diseases might be treated by modulation of their activity. Key to their discovery-based research is the development and application of chemical probes which allows for monitoring proteome-scale changes in ubiquitin enzyme activity.
Date: 13.11.2025
Time: 12:00 – 13:00
Location: The seminar will take place onsite in IMB’s Seminar room.

SFB1551 Annual Retreat 2025
2025-11-04 - 2025-11-06 | Gonsberg Lounge, Im Niedergarten 16, Mainz, 55124, Germany
